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Employee Training: Objectives, Process, Steps and Methods

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Everything you need to know about employee training. Employee training is distinct from management development/ executive development and organisation development.

While training provides skills and knowledge to employees in the areas of operations, technical and job areas, management development refers to developing an employee in the areas of skills and knowledge of management, administration, organisation and organisation development provides behavioural skills and knowledge to employees.

In this article we will discuss about the process of employee training in an organisation.

Employee Training – Introduction

Organisation and individual should develop and progress simultaneously for their survival and attainment of mutual goals. So every modern management has to develop the organisation through human resource development. Employee training is the important sub-system of human resource development. Employee training is a specialised function and is one of the fundamental operative functions for human resources management.

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In the present competitive and dynamic environment, it has become essential for organizations to build and sustain competences that would provide them sustainable competitive advantage. During the initial industrial and manufacturing era, organizations and managers adopted an ad hoc and paternalistic approach to this concern.

But, in this knowledge era, where human assets are valued more highly than physical assets, it is but natural that organizations adopt a strategic and planned approach towards the maintenance of human resources. In this context, training has assumed more importance than ever before.

Dynamic and growth-oriented organizations recognize training as an important aspect of the managerial function in a rapidly changing economic and social environment. Training is a continuous and incessant learning process in human resource development. It helps to develop one’s personality, sharpen the managerial and interpersonal skills, increase motivation, and improve the effectiveness of people employed in an organization.

It also helps to achieve congruence between corporate and personal goals. As the strength of any organization lies in the strength of its people, training is undoubtedly the most important part of organizational renewal as an ongoing process.

Employee Training – Meaning and Definition

After an employee is selected, placed and introduced he or she must be provided with training facilities. Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skill of an employee for doing a particular job. Training is a short-term educational process and utilising a systematic and organised procedure by which employees learn technical knowledge and skills for a definite purpose. Dale S. Beach defines training as “… the organised procedure by which people learn knowledge and/or skill for a definite purpose.”

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In other words, training improves, changes, moulds the employee’s knowledge, skill, behaviour, aptitude, and attitude towards the requirements of the job and organisation. Training refers to the teaching and learning activities carried on for the primary purpose of helping members of an organisation, to acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes needed by a particular job and organisation.

Training is an organized procedure for increasing the knowledge and skill of people for a specific purpose. The trainees acquire new skill. Technical knowledge, problem solving ability etc. it also gives awareness of the rules and procedure to guide their behavior. Training improves the performance of employees on present jobs and prepares them for taking up new assignments in future.

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According to B. Flippo, “the act of increasing the skills of an employee for doing a particular job”.

Training, Management Development and Organisation Development:

Employee training is distinct from management development/ executive development and organisation development. While training provides skills and knowledge to employees in the areas of operations, technical and job areas, management development refers to developing an employee in the areas of skills and knowledge of management, administration, organisation and organisation development provides behavioural skills and knowledge to employees.

After selecting the employees, the next task of management is to give them proper training. Training is usually undertaken for new recruit as well as for existing man power, who require improved skills in order to advance in the organization. Employees at all levels- managerial, technical and operative- will require some training at some point of time in their carriers.

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Therefore, every concern has to arrange some kind of training for preparing workers for jobs and also keeping them acquainted with latest technological advancements. It is a continuous process in all organizations.

Employee Training – Concept

Training of human resources consists of providing them with the necessary facilities and opportunities to acquire knowledge develop skills and cultivate attitude, behaviour and habits for the efficient and effective role performance thereby facilitating achievement of organizational goals.

A system may be defined as a group of interrelated and interdependent parts or processes separating in sequence, according to a predetermined plan, in order to achieve a goal or series of goals. A system may be viewed as a series of inputs or resources which are transformed by one or more processes related to each other in some sequence, having a transformed product or output as a result of processes.

The total transformation being monitored by a system of controls which adjust deviations in the processes in terms of some reference standards of the system.

From an analytical point of view, we can identify the following elements in a system:

(1) Inputs

(2) Processes

(3) Outputs

(4) Feedback controls

For understanding a system or for setting up a system, one should start by determining the objectives of the system, that is, what the system seeks to accomplish. Then the inputs are to be identified and the outputs specified. In the light of the relationship between inputs and outputs, the different processes can be worked out. Suitable feedback must be obtained at the various stages so as to ensure appropriate corrective steps at the necessary stages.

Training input means trainees with other resources such as physical facilities, reading material, resource persons, etc. The design and conduct of the course constitutes the processes and the trained employee is the output. The evaluation of the training course is the feedback on the basis of which improvements are made in the subsequent courses organized.

A significant and meaningful approach for a proper understanding of the training effort as a system concept consists not in regarding the conduct of the training programme as the sole process involved, but in viewing the training programme as a link in the chain of professional development of an employee.

If this view is accepted, a systems concept of training would include the environment and organization in which the employee works including the identification of his training needs, and the other salient aspects such as the determination of training objectives, designing the training programme, its implementation and evaluation of not only the training as such but of the improvement in organizational effectiveness and achievement of organizational goals resulting from the contribution of the trained employee. Thus the training effort becomes a total system of which the sub-systems are the different aspects outlined above.

The inter-dependence of the related sub-systems operating for the achievement of pre-determined goals is the crux of the systems concept.

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The systems approach to training can be represented in the following manner:

The principal sub-systems of a systems concept of training are:

(1) Identification of training needs

(2) Formulation of training objectives

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(3) Designing of training programme

(4) Implementation of training programme

(5) Evaluation of training

The traditional idea that these five phases are quite separate distinct entities, gives the impression that though these phases are connected with one another sequentially, they are independent, so that the findings and conclusions of each phase are treated as final and conclusive statements for taking action and which are not supposed to be revised in the light of findings in the subsequent phases.

Of course the evaluation phase is considered to have a bearing on the design and implementation of subsequent programme but the interdependence of each phase with all the others is not seriously thought of and acted upon.

The final objective of all training effort is to improve organizational effectiveness. An analysis of organizational working and the environments of the organization coupled with an assessment of reasons for organizational and individual effectiveness is the starting point of any significant effort in the training process.

This leads to the identification of training needs taking into account the job descriptions and available manpower resources and their qualifications. If the training needs of employees are not properly assessed, the training objectives cannot be precisely formulated and these will have no relevance to the actual requirements of employees.

Unless we are clear about the training needs and objectives, no purposeful evaluation is possible because the evaluation can be done only in terms of the pre-determined objectives. The design of a course determines its implementation and may have to be revised in the light of its objectives and the manners of its design and implementation.

The evaluation has also to be conducted so as to examine how far the training imparted to the employees has resulted in their better performance leading to overall organizational improvement and effectiveness. The evaluation of the course on the job performance of the individual and on the organizational betterment provides the necessary feedback on the basis of which new training needs and training objectives may emerge necessitating new training designs and implementation of revised training schedules.

Thus, the interdependence of the five phases of the training effort referred above appears self-evident, thereby establishing the systems concept of training. The conclusions of each phase are not final but needs revision and re-adjustment in the light of the findings of other phases.

While the employee, in need of training may be regarded as an input, the trained employees as the output and the evaluation consisting of identification of training needs, framing of objectives of the training programme, its design and proper implementation.

Employee Training – Objectives

Training of employees is essential in order:

1. To ensure an adequate supply of properly trained employees at all levels of industry.

2. To improve to performance of each employee to the highest attainable level and to develop his potential so that he can take up jobs of higher responsibilities.

3. To attain precision and clarity in the transaction of business.

4. To increase productivity by conceptual skill, imagination and judgment of employees.

5. To reduce scrap rate.

6. To reduce accident rate.

7. To minimize absence.

8. To reduce labour turnover.

9. To reduce fatigue and tardiness.

10. To minimize overtime.

11. To boost employee morale.

12. To promote cooperation and good relations between workers and management.

13. To reduce cost of product through economic and more efficient use of company resources.

14. To provide knowledge and appreciation of techniques necessary to enable a trainee to do his job.

15. To inculcate a broad understanding of relevant science and technology so that the trainees adjust to the changes in the nature of work.

16. To teach employees the standardized work methods.

17. To inculcate good work habits on the part of employees.

18. To promote team work.

19. To find out whether an employee is suited to the job.

20. To adjust employee’s outlook to new needs of new times.

Employee Training–Needs

The first sub-system of the systems concept of training is the “Identification of Training needs”. Hence the essential preliminary step to be gone through prior to planning and designing the training programme is to determine the objectives of the programme. The objectives of a programme are to be framed in the light of the training requirements of personnel in an organization. The assessment of training need is therefore, a necessary exercise to be undertaken before designing a programme.

What is Training Need?

It is the gap between the knowledge, skills and attitudes that the job demands and the knowledge, skills and attitudes already possessed by a Trainee.

Where do Training Needs Occur?

They occur in three major areas:

i. When performance of employees in their present position does not match with the required standards.

ii. When the requirements of the job change due to changing circumstances.

iii. When the present job ceases to exist or the job holder changes jobs, therefore creating new ‘gaps’ in a new job.

Kinds of Training Needs:

Training needs may be classified under the following categories:

1. Individual vis-a-vis group needs

2. Short-term vis-a-vis long term needs

3. Institutional or formal vis-a-vis informal needs

4. Needs which can be met by internal resources vis-a-vis those to be met by external resources.

5. Needs which can be met by an individual by himself vis-a vis those which can be met only in the company of others.

Determine Training Needs and Priorities:

We can determine the training needs by answering four questions:

1. What are the organization’s goals?

2. What tasks must be completed to achieve these goals?

3. What behaviour are necessary for each job incumbent to complete his assigned tasks?

4. What deficiencies, if any, do incumbents have in the skills, knowledge and attitudes?

These questions demonstrate the close link between human resource planning and determination of training needs. Based on our determination of organization’s needs, the type of work that is to be done, and the type of skills necessary to complete this work, our training programme should follow naturally. Once we can answer question 4, we have a grasp of the extent and nature of our training needs.

What kind of signals can warn a manager that employee training may be necessary?

Clearly, the more obvious ones, relate directly to productivity; inadequate job performance or a drop in productivity.

In addition to productivity measures, a high reject rate or larger than usual scrap page may indicate need for employee training. A rise in the number of accidents reported also suggest that some type of re-training is necessary.

Methods of Determining Training Needs:

The most dominant methods used for assessing training needs are observation and analysis of job performance:

1. Observation and analysis of job performance

2. Management and staff conferences and recommendations

3. Analysis of job requirements

4. Consideration of current and projected changes

5. Surveys, reports and inventories

6. Interviews

Once it has been determined that training is necessary, training goals need to be established. Management needs to state explicitly the changes or results sought for each employee. It is not adequate merely to say that changes in employee knowledge, skills, attitudes or social behaviour is desirable; we must clarify what is to change and by how much.

Employee Training – Role

Training is our important HRD activity, which reinforce HRD in an organisation. Apart from the need for internal staffing, training enhances job related skills and also facilitates acquiring of new skills required preventing skill obsolescence in an organisation. HRD is a process and it helps employees to improve their functional capabilities for present and future roles.

It also develops their general capabilities, harness their linear potentialities and thereby facilitates for self and organisational development. Discussions on training remain incomplete, without linking the same to performance appraisal.

This is because performance appraisal is one single important too, which helps in deciding about training requirements for an organisation and it reinforces training activities. There are lots of misconceptions about training, education and development functions vis-a-vis HRD.

Training may be defined as systematised tailor made programme to suit the needs of a particular organisation for developing certain attitudes, actions, skills and abilities in employees, irrespective of their functional levels.

Training serves following important purposes:

a. To increase the performance level of an employee to develop him / her in such a manner that he / she can rise to the positions higher responsibility

b. To constantly by develop manpower to meet the current as well as future needs the organisation.

c. To ensure effective utilisation of human recourses

d. To integrate individual goals with the organisation goals creating a climate, so that an individual employee can best achieve his / her goals by attending the goals of the organisation

e. To be more specific, this is the stage of identifying employees with the organisation

Employee Training – Principles

Several principles of training have been evolved over the years and they can be followed as guidelines for making training programme more effective.

1. Motivation:

Employees will be motivated by training programme if they feel that they will be benefitted by undergoing such training. Therefore, training must be related to the job-performance of the employees and it must meet their needs and solve their problems as well as increase their efficiency and improve their aptitudes.

Training should create great hopes in the employees that their chances of promotion would be better, they would be getting more wages or better jobs, better recognition, higher status, quick promotions etc. The management should find out novel ways of motivating experienced employees who already enjoy better facilities.

2. Reinforcement:

According to B.F. Skinner’s Behaviour Modification Model, when a behaviour is repeatedly rewarded, it becomes a permanent part of one’s personality. Therefore, the effectiveness of the trainees in learning new skills or in acquiring new knowledge relating to the job should be reinforced by means of rewards and punishments.

Rewards or positive reinforcements are more effective in changing behaviour than punishments or negative reinforcements. Positive reinforcements are in the form of promotions, rise in pay, praise etc., whereas negative enforcements are in the form of demotions, threats of dismissal, cuts in salary etc. It should be noted that positive reinforcement is far better than negative reinforcement.

3. Clear Objectives:

The management should clearly define the objectives and scope of the training programme. The management should prepare a comparative statement of the job requirements and existing personnel skills and knowledge. This will enable the employees to know the need for undergoing training.

4. Training Policy:

The management should formulate an ideal training policy which would serve as a guide for designing and implementing the training programme. It should specify the persons responsible for conducting the training programme, the nature of training and employees to be trained.

5. Organised Material:

The training material should be properly organised and a complete outline of the training programme should be distributed to the employees who are required to undergo training. This will also enable them to prepare themselves to undergo training.

6. Practice:

Practice makes a man perfect is an old maxim. The employees should take active part in the training programme and take keen interest in practicing what they have learnt. Continuous practice is absolutely essential if they have to be perfect in what they have learnt.

7. Feedback:

The employees who have undergone training should inform the management or the trainers on how much they have learnt, what benefit they have derived from training and how well they are doing their work after training. They should also inform the trainers about the difficulties, if any, they are facing in their performance. Such feedback should be quick, frequent and positive.

8. Individual Differences:

Individual employees differ in intelligence and aptitude. Training programme should therefore be adjusted to the individual abilities and aptitudes, depending upon the financial strength of the organisation. Since individual training is costly and impracticable, the organisation should always arrange for group training which is economically viable and advantageous.

9. Suitable Techniques:

The methods and techniques used for training should be related directly to the needs and objectives of the organisation as well as the job. Training should be conducted as far as possible in the actual job environment if it is to be meaningful and if it is to serve the desired purpose. It is better if the training is based on the tested principles of learning.

Employee Training – Importance

Training is mainly job-oriented; it aims at maintaining and improving current job performance.

The importance are:

i. Entry of new recruits- New entrants need training to attain clarity in job responsibility, nature of the job, and other organizational matters so that person-hours are not wasted.

iii. To prevent skill obsolescence- Training and development programmes foster the initiative and creativity of employees and help to prevent obsolescence of skills, which may be due to an employee’s age, temperament, motivation level, or inability to adapt to technological changes.

iv. To increase productivity- Instruction can help employees increase their level of performance on their present assignment. Increased human performance often leads to increased operational productivity and increased company profit.

vi. To meet organizational objectives- Future organizational goals, plans dictate training of its existing workforce, particularly, where there is a dearth of skills to match the needs of organizational plans.

vii. To improve organizational climate- Organizational climate refers to the overall relations and effective orientations of the employees towards the organization. These orientations may be positive or negative. Positive orientations will result in increased productivity and employee morale. Training is essential to maintain and sustain positive orientations or its employees.

viii. To prevent accidents- Training can create awareness about safety hazards and accident proneness and may equip the individuals with better orientations to handle crises.

ix. To avoid boredom, monotony and fatigue- Refresher courses may be organized intermittently for all employees in the rank and file category to relieve job fatigue and monotony of everyday work-life.

x. To support personal growth and development- Employees gain a lot by training and developmental programmes. Management development programmes seem to give participants a wider awareness, improved skills, and enlightened artistic philosophy and make enhanced personal growth possible.

It may be observed that the need for training may arise because of one or more of the needs stated above.

Scott and Cloutier observes that ‘Training is the outcome of sound management, for it makes employees more effective and productive. It is actively and intimately connected with all the personnel or managerial activities. The training experts are increasingly attempting to justify the time and money on the training systems through the transfer of learning.’

In order to ensure maximization of transfer of learning, scientific methods are essential for training needs identification (TNI). Training proves to be highly beneficial to both the individual and the organization.

Employee Training – Special Aspects

In addition to job training, organisations provide special aspects of training like orientation training, basic skills training, team training and diversity training.

1. Orientation Training:

Orientation training is also called induction training. Orientation training is to orient the employee to the new job, organisation, superiors, subordinates, customers and colleagues. Organisations conduct ‘New-Hire Celebrations’, ‘Welcome Celebrations’ etc. in order to integrate the new employee with the new social and task groups. Normally, HR departments with the help of line managers conduct orientation training.

2. Basic Skills Training:

Even though, the employee possesses certain basic skills, organisations supplement these skills through their training programmes.

These skills include:

i. Reading and writing

ii. Computing

iii. Speaking and listening

iv. Problem solving

v. Managing one self

vi. Knowing how to learn

vii. Working as a team member

viii. Leadership skills.

In order to implement basic skills training successfully:

i. Respect and consider participants’ experiences

ii. Use task-centered or problem centered approach

iii. Provide feedback

iv. Use experienced participants as resource persons.

3. Team Training:

Organisations, today, mostly rely on team work and team management to achieve goals. Team work is more prevalent in all kinds of activities including production, marketing, customer relationship, supply chain and finance. Teamwork results in synergy and produces greater efficiency for organisational success. Team training is provided to impart process skills and behavioural skills.

The following guidelines would help the managers in providing team training:

i. Overtime should be provided for team training

ii. Team development need not be in a linear sequence of forming, storming, norming and performing

iii. Provide additional training for new members

iv. Use participative exercises for behavioural and process skills.

4. Diversity Training:

The number of employees from varied ethnic groups as well as diverse backgrounds has been increasing. In fact, diverse backgrounds bring varied knowledge that helps the organisation in making accurate and efficient decisions. Organisations need to provide diversity training in order to get the advantages of diversity.

Diversity training is of two types viz.:

i. Awareness building to enlighten the employees about the benefits of diversity.

ii. Skill building that provides knowledge, skills and attitudes, necessary for working with people of diverse backgrounds.

All the dimensions of diversity like race, gender, age, disabilities, lifestyles, culture, education, ideas and backgrounds should be considered in designing the training program.

Characteristics of Effective Diversity Training Programs:

Diversity training to be effective should possess the following characteristics.

They are:

i. Link the diversity training to organisational strategies.

ii. Engage qualified and experienced trainer.

iii. Training programme should reflect organisational goals.

iv. Use appropriate training methodology based on organisation and groups’ needs of various, diversified groups.

v. Document individual and organisational benefits.

vi. Committee for training should reflect all levels and groups.

vii. Managers should be accountable for achieving the goals of the training.

ix. Provides the trainee an avenue for growth and a say in his/her own future

x. Develops a sense of growth in learning

xi. Helps a person develop speaking and listening skills; also writing skills when exercises are required

xii. Helps eliminate fear in attempting new tasks.

Benefits in Human Relations, Intra and Inter – Group Relations and Policy Implementation:

i. Improves communication between groups and individuals

ii. Aids in orientation for new employees and those taking new jobs through transfer or promotion

iii. Provides information on equal opportunity and affirmative action

iv. Provides information on other governmental laws and administrative policies

v. Improves interpersonal skills

vi. Makes organisation policies, rules and regulations viable

vii. Improves morale

viii. Builds cohesiveness in groups

ix. Provides a good climate for learning, growth, and co-ordination

x. Makes the organisation a better place to work and live.

The increasing competition, among other things increases the significance of training. Training matches the employee with the job from time to time. Further, the trained employees invite organisational change and are ready to take up any type of assignment. The success of any organisation, to a greater extent depends on the amount, qualitative and timely training provided by an organisation.

Further, the importance of training can also be viewed from the need for training and the advantages of training.

Employee Training – Methods for Training Leaders

1. Lecture Method:

The lecture method is the most widely used method to train leaders. The potential supervisors and leaders are at the outset selected on the basis of tests and interviews. They are, thereafter, given various lectures by experts relating to management, discipline, coordination, incentive, recognition of ideas and the dos and do nots of a leader or manager.

At the end of the course, it is taken for granted that the training is completed. The lecture method is quite simple, economical and less time consuming as it gives information in a very short period. A Good lecture also facilitates learning and influences attitude more than mere passive reading. Good lectures also help in understanding and selective learning.

But lectures usually do not help people to develop associations. The lecture method is also criticised as superficial by which the majority of people do not gain much. The gain is very little as it only touches the surface and making associations and understanding them becomes quite difficult.

Maier (1970) is of opinion that lectures are of little values in changing attitudes, developing job, skills or training in human relationship skills. Lectures may not be able to hold the attention and concentration of the trainees. Trainees of above average intelligence usually gain more from lectures than trainees of average and below average intelligence since lectures convey ideas and concepts which cannot be easily grasped by all.

2. Conference or Discussion Method:

A series of topics on problems relating to the areas of the trainees are placed for discussion. Topics may relate to any problem starting from employee problems to decision-making, meetings of emergencies, coordination of activities of the groups and subgroups, cooperation and competition etc.

The various members take part in the discussion and give a number of suggestions. And finally, a solution is arrived at.

The discussion method is also criticised as superficial as knowledge becomes theoretical and the right solution is rarely arrived at. What is arrived at the theoretical level may not be correct at the practical level or in the field. Another criticism levelled against the discussion method is that members taking part in the discussion should be of a proper level of intelligence to take part in such discussion.

3. Role Playing Technique:

The role playing technique is one of the most important techniques to train leaders in various types of training programmes. This technique is also known as the reality practice or problem approach.

In this training technique, a day-to-day problem of any organisation is presented and each trainee is given a role to play either as a supervisor or as a subordinate member. By this, they are provided with the opportunity of experiencing, approaching and viewing the problem from different angles.

Then they are asked to act on a particular problem and bring the solution. The problem may be ‘gherao’ by the members or some sort of other problems. One of the trainees is asked to play the role of a member and the other a leader.

After the role playing is over the group discusses the mistakes committed by the two and gives suggestions for improvement. The performance is then repeated by two other trainees to see if they can avoid the mistakes committed by the previous two trainees. Thereafter, group discussion takes place where the members try to determine a better solution.

Advantages:

Role playing technique provides the individual with firsthand experience and helps him to appreciate others’ point of view as well. Here learning by doing is given top priority. It gives better idea of the characteristics necessary for leadership.

Training of this type encourages learning at a very meaningful level. The participation of every trainee is active which creates a sense of importance in every trainee.

Bradford and Lippit’s study on the training of supervisors in a business organisation shows certain advantages of the role playing technique. By assuming a specific role the trainee could see the problems involved from a new angle and improve their leadership qualities. Because of the role playing technique each trainee gets a chance to have an insight into the attitudes and behaviour of others.

They also gain new perspective on the nature of relationship with the employees. When their roles are changed, they get some insight into the character of the changed role. This helps them in better perception of the situation and appreciation of another stand point which is extremely essential for understanding the need of the followers and efficient ways of handling them. It further helps to get adequate ideas into the employees’ attitudes and behaviours.

It is always desirable to understand and realize another point of view instead of imposing one’s own point of view on others. This helps in better management and better administration. Sometimes, the role playing techniques also dramatise the point of difficulty in such a way where verbal discussion will be useless. In most of the administrative organisations officers of the higher rank undergo thorough training and then only they are appointed at the need of that unit or on permanent basis.

According to Kretch a Crutchfield, the complex skills involved in handling intragroup relations cannot be developed on a verbal level. Here learning by doing seems essential. The role playing technique dramatises the points of difficulty in a way that mere lecture or mere discussion cannot do. Before confronting the actual situation, the leader gets a chance to be familiarized with it through group situation

Blum and Naylor (1968) opine that role playing provides an excellent bridge between discussions of interpersonal relations and their actual handling. It presents best situations to determine how well a trainee can handle various problems and makes the leader sensitive to different methods and styles of leadership.

However, role playing technique inspite of its advantage over the lecture and discussion methods is also not free from certain limitations.

Tennexbaum, Kallejian and Weschler (1954) indicate three limitations:

(1) The trainee is removed from the social setting in which he customarily performs.

(2) Imparling human relations information may have little or no effect including changes in behaviour.

(3) The carryover from the training to the work situation may be negligible.

To minimise the above limitations, they suggest that a trainee group be vertically structured. In other words, different levels of management or leaders and sub-leaders may be included as in the real situation and the training should emphasise the development of the trainee’s sensitively to himself, to others and to the ways in which people react. They put emphasis on the creation of certain situations where learning is acquired by developing interpersonal skills among the group members. Tannenbaum, Weschler and Massarik (1961) have supported the use of T. Group strategy for training executives.

Some eminent researchers working in the area of executive training have viewed that attitudes do change over the training period, but the question remains as to what happens when the executive goes back to his job. Thus, Fleishman (1950b) has remarked “It casts great trouble as to whether any type of human relations training is really worth the time and effort put to it.” After conducting a study on this problem he found that

(1) The effect of training may or may not have result in a clear initial stage of attitude or behaviour.

(2) Even if training does have an effect, it may be temporary.

(3) The behaviour of a supervisor seems to be primarily related to the behaviour of his own immediate supervisor. If his supervisor is considerate, he will also be considerate. Thus, Blum and Naylor state “leadership training cannot be considered in isolation from the social environment in which the foreman must function. Changes in foreman as a result of this training may be difficult if the work situation remains constant.

Employee Training – Methods of Training and Development

The various methods of training and development may be classified as follows:

1. On-the-Job Methods:

(a) Experience

(b) Coaching

(c) Understudy

(d) Position Rotation

(e) Special Projects and Task Forces

(f) Committee Assignments

(g) Multiple Management.

2. Off-the-Job Methods:

(a) Selected Readings

(b) Conferences & Seminars

(c) Special Courses

(d) Case Study

(e) Programmed Instruction

(f) Brain Storming

(g) In-basket Exercise

(h) Role Playing

(i) Management Games

(j) Sensitivity (T-group) Training

1. On-the-Job Training:

On-the-job involves learning by doing. It is considered to be an effective approach for making managers more competent. The trainee is motivated to learn because the training takes place in the real job situation. Little additional space and equipment is needed for training. But neither the trainee nor the trainer are free from the daily pressure of job. The trainer (senior) has seldom the time and patience to impart effective training.

(a) Experience:

This is one of the oldest methods of on-the-job training. It involves learning by doing. It is the most practical and effective method. But it is wasteful and inefficient.

(b) Coaching and Counseling:

Under this method, the senior or super r plays the role of the guide and instructor of the management trainee. He provides personal instruction and guidance. He demonstrates the task operations and answers queries. The trainee observes the superior carefully to learn the necessary skills of the functional area. He mentally visualises and rehearses the modeled sequence of behavior. He asks the superior questions about different facets of the job.

Coaching is one of the oldest and the best methods of developing managers on the job. Training takes place in a realistic environment and the trainee is motivated to learn. The senior is in the best position to monitor and develop managerial qualities in the sub-ordinate. But the stress and strain of the daily duties do not permit complete concentration on training.

The senior seldom finds enough time and attention for providing training. He may not be properly trained and oriented himself.

(c) Understudy or Attachment Method:

When a person is promoted to higher level he is given training in the job to which he is to be appointed. He is chosen as the successor to the current incumbent who is going to retire or resign. The trainee is attached with the senior and is called as understudy assistant to or apprentice.

He is given adequate authority to take decisions. He is not penalised for the mistakes committed during the course of learning. He also learns by observing and imitating the superior. The senior routes much of the work through the junior, discusses problems with him and allows him to participate in the decision-making process as often as possible.

The advantages of this method are:

(i) The trainee is not overburdened with work and at the same time participates in running the work unit,

(ii) He gets continuous guidance from the senior in gaining insight into the job content,

(iii) There is little danger of costly mistakes,

(iv) Training takes place in real work situation,

(v) The trainee gets an opportunity to learn and step into the shoes of the senior before he is actually placed on the higher job.

The limitations of this method are:

(i) The senior has no direct responsibility for training and may not take adequate interest in training or grooming the successor,

(ii) The deficiencies in the senior are likely to be perpetrated,

(iii) The trainer may ignore and might not cooperate with the senior who is going leave the enterprise.

(d) Position Rotation:

Position rotation is the process of training executives by rotating them through a series of related jobs or positions. The trainee learns several different jobs within a work unit or department. He performs each job for a specified and limited period. Some companies follow the channel method under which a particular discipline is earmarked for progression of the junior manager.

Position rotation is a useful method of training managers. It provides a broader background or a more varied experience than could be provided in any single job. The trainee is exposed to various tasks and viewpoints. This avoids over-specialisation and facilitates change. Promotion of highly competent individuals is accelerated and the effectiveness of the organisation increases. This provides a greater flexibility in posting and allocation of trainee among departments.

For example, when one employee of a work unit is absent, another can perform his job. Position rotation promotes a balanced and informed approach to goals of the organisation. Through this method, management can shake up and eliminate vested interests. Trainees develop new contacts and carry fresh ideas generating innovation and creativity.

Each manager’s talents are tested in a variety of jobs which facilitates best utilisation of executive talent. A healthy competition is generated, among the trainees because each knows that he must perform well lest his successor should perform better.

The disadvantages of position rotation are:

(i) Frequent changes in job may create dislocation and disruption in work,

(ii) Different coaches in various jobs may suggest conflicting viewpoints and approaches,

(iii) A manager takes time to settle down in a new job and is prone to costly errors or wastage,

(iv) Supervision is needed on moving manager,

(v) The trainee does not get complete, knowledge of any single job.

(vi) The new manager may carry out ill-conceived and hasty innovation resulting in costly experiments,

(vii) The trainee feels insecure because he cannot develop close inter-personal relationships in any one job.

(e) Special Projects and Task Forces:

Under this method, the trainee is assigned a project closely related to his job or example, management trainees in accounts may be asked to develop act control system. The trainees learn by performing the special assignment not only work procedures but organisational relationships too) Sometimes, a task force is created consisting of executives from different functional areas4he trainees learn how to work with others.

This method has several advantages:

(i) No strong groups are formed because the trainee s loyalty is not to any specific project but to his job.

(ii) Personal equations and prejudices are not allowed to take deep roots,

(iii) It improves inter-functional understanding and teamwork,

(iv) It is a very flexible training device.

(f) Committees Assignments:

Under this method, the trainee managers are appointed as members of a committee. The committee deliberates upon and discusses problems of the enterprise. By participating in meetings and discussions, every member learns analytical thinking and decision-making skills. Managers keep abreast of current developments in their respective areas of specialisation Committees provide an opportunity to know what is happening in the rest of the organisation.

(g) Junior Boards or Multiple Management:

This technique was developed by Charles McCormick of Baltimore, U.S.A. Under it a junior board of executives is constituted. In this board, executives discuss real life problems, debate different viewpoints and take decisions. The participants learn comprehension, analysis and decision-making. This method widens the perspective of executives-and promotes teamwork. But no specific attention is given to the training needs of managers. The discussions may become discursive lacking purpose or authority.

2. Off-the-Job Training:

In recent years, formal training and management development programmes have become very popular due to the limitations of on-the-job training. First, on-the-job training does not provide adequate expertise, environment and facilities. Secondly, on-the-job training is inadequate for developing improved behaviour patterns in managers. Thirdly, highly sophisticated tasks and techniques of management development are now available. Training has become a specialised job.

Fourthly, effective training requires a great deal of participation and group discussion among participants from diverse disciplines and cultures. This is not always possible in case of on-the-job training. Fifthly, behaviour, modification of trainees requires a simulated and highly maneuvered atmosphere not found in on-the-job training.

In on-the-job training, trainees are under the pressures and inhibitions of the daily work routine. Off-the-job training provides an uninhibited and relaxed environment. The main drawback in off-the-job training is the artificial work environment which requires adjustment to the actual work situation after the training.

(a) Selected Readings:

Many organisations maintain their own libraries for this purpose. Moreover, executives may become members of professional associations to keep abreast of latest developments in management. Management process has become complex and on-the-job training alone cannot provide the required knowledge and skills. A modern executive cannot depend upon others to inform him of latest developments in knowledge. He has to read literature as a part of his daily routine.

(b) Conferences and Seminars:

In a conference, participants are required to pool their ideas, viewpoints and suggestions. The participants are normally drawn from different companies and sectors. Sometimes, a conference is divided into small groups. These groups discuss thoroughly the problems of common interest and report their recommendations to the conference. A conference provides a common platform for intensive group discretion and allows the participants to look at the problem from different angle.

The participants may prepare and present papers which are discussed in conference. This method helps to reduce the dogmatism and promote an attitude responsive to change. It is ideal for analysing problems. But the process of learning is slow and only a few persons can participate actively in the conference. The deliberations may degenerate into academic discussions and participants may feel uninterested.

(c) Special Courses and Lectures:

Special courses are designed by the company itself or by management schools. Companies sponsor their executives to attend these courses. The participants are given classroom instructions through lectures and audiovisual aids. They are imparted concepts, principles and techniques in various areas of management, e.g., general management, finance and accounts, marketing, production, personnel and industrial relations, etc.

Well-known companies have set up their own institutes for training executives. All India Management Association, Administrative Staff College of India, Management Development Institute, National Productivity Council and Institutes of Management also organise executive development programme.

This is a good method for providing factual information and knowledge/quickly to large number of executive. Trainees are in a better mental state to learn and assimilate knowledge as they are away from the pressure of daily I work routine. They get a theoretical, foundation for sound management and learn latest developments. They also come into contact with their counterparts from other organisations.

This method, however, suffers from the following limitations:

(i) The trainees are often passive not active,

(ii) There is no feedback from the trainees,

(iii) An inexperienced instructor may not make a clear and complete presentation of the subject-matter and

(iv) Lecturing stresses upon the routine memorisation of facts rather than the practical aspects of job. Despite these defects, lecture method is a simple and efficient technique of introducing subject-matter.

(d) Case Study Method:

The case study method of executive development was developed at the Harvard Business School, U.S.A. It was developed as a supplement to the lecture method. There is no dynamic participation of the learner in the lecture method. Case study method is designed to overcome this limitation of the lecture method.

A case is typically a record of an actual business issue which has been faced by business executives together with surrounding facts, opinions and prejudices upon which executive decision had to depend. The case is presented to the trainees for discussion and analysis. The trainees are expected to identify and diagnose the problem involved, generate alternative courses of action, analyse the pros and cons of each alternative and arrive at a recommendation which the management should adopt under the given circumstances.

The trainees carefully study and actively participate in a large number of cases during the training period. They learn to sort out facts from opinions, to distinguish significant from trivial data, the judge the inter relationship and to make choice. Case study method improves the power of observation and analysis. It stimulates thinking and creativity. Case study method is useful for developing problem solving and decision-making skills among executives.

However, case method is not very effective in changing the attitudes and behaviour of people. It is difficult to apply the lesson of a case study to future problems because two business situations are seldom alike.

A variation of the case method is the incident process in which an event is presented and the participants have to gather details by asking questions from the leader. But this method is subject to the same merits and drawbacks as the case method.

(e) Programmed Instruction:

It is a technique of instruction without the intervention of a human instructor. It is a learner centered method wherein the subject-matter is presented to the trainees in small steps and they are asked to make frequent responses. They are given feedback on their responses. The information is broken into meaningful units and rearranged into a proper sequence so as to form a learning package. Manuals, electronic teaching machines and computer systems are used in this method. It is a useful method fir building knowledge and for retention of that knowledge.

(f) Bain Storming:

Under this method a problem is put before a group of trainees and they are encouraged to offer ideas or suggestions. Criticism of any idea is not allowed so as to reduce inhibiting forces. Each trainee is allowed maximum possible participation. Later on all the ideas are critically examined. The purpose is to maximise innovation and creativity on the part of executives.

(g) In-Basket Exercise:

The in-basket contains a number of correspondence of which poses a problem. The problems are of different kinds and resemble real life problems. The trainees study memos, letters, reports and other documents in the basket. They are required to solve each problem and to record their decisions within a specified time period. The participants learn logical thinking, inter-relationships between problems and decision-making skills.

The problems do not contain all the details and leave areas of uncertainty similar to that encountered in actual business situations. The specified time; limit imposes a time constraint simulating reality. This is an inexpensive method and can be used easily. The alertness of the trainee is also tested.

(h) Role Playing:

Under this method two or more trainees spontaneously act out or play role in an artificially created situation. They act out the given roles as they would be playing in real life situation. They are informed of the situation and the roles they are expected to play. For example, a trainee may play the role of a trade union leader and another trainee of a personnel manager. Each debates the issue from his own role viewpoint with the common objective of reaching the best solution.

The advantages of this method are:

(i) The trainees realise the relevance and role of their functions as well as the organisational conflicts;

(ii) They face a good simulation of real situation without being obsessed by their career interests and other prejudices;

(iii) They get an insight into behaviour patterns and human relationships and become willing to modify their behaviour style;

(iv) They learn to live with and work in situations of conflicts; and

(v) Human interactions lead to logical behaviour and right attitudes on the part of the trainees.

But his method may involve waste of time in the absence of a competent leader. Moreover, the trainees become conscious of artificial situation or drama. Therefore, their responses may not be natural or logical to the situation. The role players may lose seriousness and commitment.

(i) Management Games:

Under this method, an actual business situation is presented as a model. The participants compete with each other to analyse the problem and to take decisions. Their decisions are processed in stages. A performance report is prepared periodically to measure the success of the participants. This method is useful in developing the ability of taking decisions with incomplete data and amid conditions of uncertainty. It improves power of- anticipation and prediction of the competitor’s actions.

But it is an expensive and time-consuming process. It is difficult to simulate the exact real life situations. Use of statistical sampling and other mathematical techniques may involve bias and may create complexity. The class-room behaviour of the participants tends to be abstract front many compulsions of the real life environment.

(j) Sensitivity (T-Group) Training:

Under this method, a small group (T-Group) meets in an unstructured situation. There is no plan or schedule and no agenda or other inhibitions. The numbers of the group are allowed to communicate with each other freely so that each can gain an insight of his behaviour as others see it. The trainees are encouraged to probe their feelings and abilities in building inter-personal relationships. The purpose is to build self-awareness, understanding of group processes and insight into interpersonal relationships.

Frank and candid discussions encourage inter- personal sensitivity. The participants learn to see the unintended consequences of their behaviour. Sensitivity training is a method of modifying behaviour. It is a controversial method. Some people criticise it as unethical and dangerous. The success of T-group depends on how psychologically safe the trainees feel when exposed to feelings. The outcomes of the method are unpredictable. The trainees may not actually change their behaviour when placed on their jobs.

The process of sensitivity training consists of the following steps:

(a) A small group consisting of ten to twelve persons is constituted,

(b) A professional expert serves a catalyst end trainer.

(c) The group meets without any formal agenda.

(d) The members are encouraged to focus on interpersonal behaviour.

(e) The trainer provides feedback to members on how they interacted with one another.

Sensitivity training offers the following advantages:

1. Trainees are likely to become more open and understanding.

2. By gaining insight into his own and others’ feelings a trainee becomes less biased and tolerant of others’ views.

3. Trainees develop understanding of group processes.

4. Leadership and communication skills are created.

Sensitivity training suffers from the following drawbacks:

1. Frustration may arise among the trainees due to lack of clear and criticism of ideas.

2. Psychological damage may be caused to trainees who dislike Humiliation, anxiety and other emotional problems may arise.

3. There may be unjustified invasion of privacy of the trainees.

4. In the absence of systematic follow-up actions, casualties may go unnoticed.

Employee Training – Programmes

Universities and colleges provide theoretical, conceptual, and principles-based inputs that may not be exactly fit the work environment when the student turns to be an employee. At the same time the educational institutions can’t provide practical knowledge that fits to all related jobs in all organisations as the practical knowledge vary from job to job and company to company.

But the gap between theory and practice would hinder the student in his/her learning process as well as during the early days of work life. Universities and colleges with the collaboration of various businesses as well as other organisations provide an opportunity of acquiring practical knowledge to students through various programs like job shadowing, internship, practicum, summer placements and vacation placements.

1. Internship:

Internship is one of the on-the-job training methods before employment. Individuals entering industry in skilled trades like machinist, electrician and laboratory technician are provided with thorough instruction though theoretical and practical aspects. For example, TISCO, TELCO and BHEL select the candidates from polytechnics, engineering colleges and management institutions and provide apprenticeship training.

Apprenticeship training programmes are jointly sponsored by colleges, universities and industrial organisations to provide the opportunity to the students to gain real-life experience as well as employment.

MNCs sometimes fail to procure employees possessing certain latest skills. Then MNCs, recruit the college students for two months to two years on internship project during their period of studies. Students learn practical aspects of the job while imparting the latest technical and conceptual skills they learnt in the college to the regular employees of the MNC.

MNCs have a chance to evaluate the performance of the students and offer full-time job, if the performance of the candidates is satisfactory. Similarly, the internship candidates also have a chance to evaluate organisational systems and make a decision to accept the offer of full-time employment.

2. Job Shadowing:

Job shadowing is defined as a work experience program where the students take-up a job of a regular employee in full or part for a short duration with a view to gain practical knowledge and skills, but not for a regular salary. Students during this program also observe the regular employees while discharging their responsibilities, interacting with customers, colleagues and subordinates, challenges involved, working with machineries, tools and others order to learn practical aspects.

Need for Job Shadowing:

Job shadowing is necessary due to the following reasons:

i. Universities and colleges provide knowledge based on established theories, pi and concepts. Some of them may not be practicable in some practical situations.

ii. Universities and colleges can’t provide practical experience and skills of a range as they normally do not train students for a particular company/ organisation.

iii. Student when they turn to be employees/ entrepreneurs need practical skills to do

iv. Companies prefer to have candidates as employees with some degree of practical await experience and skills to have better fit between the candidate and the job.

v. Students would like to have career awareness during the student stage for better c& decisions immediately after completing their education.

vi. To bring the alignment between universities curriculum and employment needs of business as the educational institutions mostly develop human resources for employment various business and other organisations

Advantages of Job Shadowing:

Job shadowing has several advantages to the students, company and the educations institutions.

i. Acquisition of practical skill, knowledge and behaviour by the students;

ii. Understanding of organisations, work environment and culture by students;

iii. Understanding and evaluating of career options by students;

iv. Improvement in curriculum design by educational institutions;

v. Increase in efficiency of imparting education by the institutions;

vi. Use of job shadowing as a recruitment tool;

vii. Job shadowed employees of the company can acquire the knowledge of recent theories, concepts and principles from the students;

viii. Make use of educational institutions in training the future human resources as required by the companies.

Job Shadowing Tips:

Companies and job shadowed employees share following information with the students:

1. A Little History of the company, products, career or field- How has the field evolved—past, present, and looking into the future?

2. Roles and Responsibilities- What do you do? Who do you work with? What do you like best about your job?

4. Career Ladder- What does the career ladder in your field look like from entry jobs to professional levels?

5. Education Requirements and Opportunities- What is the basic education and training required for entry to professional levels?

6. Technology– How does technology impact and serve as a tool in your job and in the field in general?

7. Related Jobs and Careers– What other jobs and careers could you go into? What other industries or fields could you work in?

8. Learning More about This Career– What volunteer or work experience would help youth learn more? What studies, classes, degrees, and training programs are suggested? What hobbies, books, college visits, or company tours would be helpful?

9. Your Experience– What do you value and enjoy about your job or career? How does job or career impact being a parent or family member? Has the job or career helped you make a difference in your community?

10. Money Questions– Be ready to answer questions about how much money you make. Some may want information on how you financed college and further education.

11. Personal Questions– Sometimes students ask other personal questions. Be ready to make a quick decision on what is okay to share and how to say something is not, in your mind, appropriate to share.

Designing a Training Programme:

Once it is decided to run a training programme, the course objectives will have to be decided upon and thereafter efforts must be made to design a suitable programme in the light of the objectives, taking due note of the programme content required, methodology, level of participants, duration etc. The design of a training programme is a separate exercise in itself.

Seven Essentials for Designing a Training Programme:

1. Moderate level of Content- The best approach is to be selective choosing the “need to know” before the “nice to know” When the content level is kept moderate, the trainer has time to design activities that introduce, present, apply and reflect upon what is being learned.

2. Variety of learning approaches- This keeps interest alive and can help minimise the downtimes when energy levels are low.

3. Opportunities for group participation.

4. Utilization of participant’s expertise.

5. Re-cycling of earlier learned concepts and skills

6. Real-life problem solving

7. Allowance for re-entry planning- Transferring the learning in the course to the job.

Tips to Design a Training Programme:

1. Assess participants

2. Set general learning goals

3. Specify objectives

4. Design training activities

5. Sequence training activities

6. Start detailed planning

7. Revise design details

8. Evaluate the total result.

Three major ingredients of any design:

1. A purpose

2. A method

3. A format

How the purpose, method and format are combined together is the basic recipe for the design of any programme. Your decisions about what is to be accomplished (purpose), how it is to be accomplished (method) and in what setting (format) will determine the designing you wish to create.

Basic Questions about any Design:

When shaping a design or training programme, there are several considerations to take into account.

1. Does the design achieve the activity’s purpose?

This is the most important consideration. To take an obvious example, a demonstration may show the participants a skill or procedure in action without giving them actual practice. Even when the choice of method, is appropriate, a particular design may not achieve its purpose. For example- a role play if poorly designed, may provide little skill practice for participants.

2. What knowledge or’ skill level does the design require of participants?

Your assessment of participants is often critical in creating specific design.

3. How much time will it take?

At any particular point programme, you may feel that time is limited or, conversely, that a longer design is perfect for the occasion. In general, it is a good rule to keep afternoon activities shorter than morning ones. Further, it rarely pays to skip on time, when you are seeking to accomplish an especially important objective.

4. Is the design slow or fast paced?

Regardless of the overall time needed for a design, some activities are slow moving and others have a quicker pace. Fast-paced activities work best to get the total group involved. Leisurely paced activities are more appropriate in small group format.

5. Is it suited to the size of the group?

Some designs simply do not work well with large groups. For instance, dyadic role-paying practice is very hard to monitor when the training consists of more than 30 people. On the other hand, some designs require a critical man. For example- it can be comfortable to participate in a mental imaginary exercise in a very small group (six or less); the anonymity of a somewhat larger group helps participants to relax.

6. What skills are required to conduct the design?

It is important to assess how much expertise or facilitation skill a design demands. For example- a read and discuss approach to cognitive material requires less in the way of Socratic skills than does a guided teaching mode.

It is not always possible to answer all these questions in advance. Experience is the best teacher when it comes to designing; often, the most you can hope for is to anticipate what might occur if a particular design is used. A good approach is to change the design of one part of your module/course every time you teach, in order to expand your repertoire.

When the purpose, method and format for a single design have been chosen, several details remain.

1. Time allocation- How many minutes will the design take?

2. Buy-in – What will you say or do to get participants involved?

3. Key points and/or instructions – What are the major ideas in the presentation, and what exactly do you want participants to do?

4. Materials

5. Setting – Physical environment

6. Ending

Once these decisions have been made, a design is complete.

Employee Training – Conducting a Training Programmes

How to conduct a training programme?

You can build an active learning into a design of your programme but it is in the delivery of that programme that your efforts are truly tested Designing is not complete at the time of delivery. Instead, the delivery phase of a training programme is a period of continual adjusting, refining and re­designing.

Ensuring the successful delivery of a training programme is a process that actually begins before the participants arrive. Preparation is one of the important ingredients for success. You had assessed your group participants in advance, designed course, objectives and activities, and are now ready to conduct a training programme.

Following are a few tips for conducting the designed training programme:

1. Preparing Yourself Mentally:

Preparation of materials and activities for a training may be done well in advance. In addition to preparation, the trainer should make efforts

i. To familiarise with the participants

ii. Be comfortable with the course content

iii. Flexible with your lesser plans and designs

iv. Vary the location and the environment

v. Watch others train the same programme

2. Arranging the Physical Environment:

The physical set up of a training facility makes the first impression on participants.

3. Greeting Participants and Stablishing Rapports:

A simple way to ease those tense moments is to make sure that you are available and ready greet participant’s at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the programme. Informal conversations are also valuable for establishing rapports.

4. Acquiring the Best from the First 30 Minutes of Training:

Knowing the first 30 minutes of your training, sets the tone for the entire programme and, try the following tips for making a positive first impression of your group:

(a) Impatience- Start the class promptly at the schedule time

(b) Competence

(c) Compatibility- Interact with the participants rather than preach.

(d) Trust- Respect class confidentiality

(e) Out-of-class concerns- How training programme will affect their work.

5. Reviewing the Agenda:

No discussion at the beginning of the training programme would be complete without a reference to reviewing the agenda or programme objectives. In addition to informing participants about your goals, you should be sure to tell them how the programme will be run and what you need from them in order for the programme to be successful, include the following information-

(1) Content outline

(2) Description of the kinds of training activities you have designed.

(13) Making smooth transitions-making smooth linkage and transitions between one topics to the next.

Evaluation of Training Programmes:

Critical to any training activity is proper effectiveness evaluation. Evaluation of training is the process of putting a value on the benefits stemming from the training process in practical, social and/or financial terms. It is a process of seeking feedback from the learners and others during and after the training programme about the various aspects of the training programme.

It is often easy to generate a new training programme, but if the training effort is not evaluated, it becomes possible to rationalise any employee training efforts. To avoid the uncontrolled expansion of training costs, management must insist on a thorough cost benefit evaluation to ensure that training cost generates meaningful returns.

Designing the Evaluation Activity:

Any evaluation activity requires the same careful design as the training programme it assesses. Attention must be paid to four central decisions.

1. Focus – What- elements are being evaluated?

Data can be gathered concerning any of the following:

i. Programme content and design

ii. Trainer’s competence

iii. Participant’s knowledge, skid, attitudes.

iv. Training facilities

v. Organisational results

2. Tools -What means are used to collect evaluative data?

Any of the following can be utilized:

i. Questionnaire

ii. Observation

iii. Tests

iv. Reports

v. Interviews

3. Timing – When is data collected?

Any of These Times is Possible:

i. Pre-training

ii. During training

iii. End of training

iv. Fellow-up period.

Evaluation Methods:

1. Reactions of Participants or Managers:

Several senior managers, a few, managers in the field and a group of workers who have recently completed a training programme are asked for their opinions. If the comments are generally positive, the programme gets a favourable evaluation and the organisation continues it until someone in a position of authority decides, for whatever reason, that it should be eliminated or replaced. Opinion and judgements dominate the evaluation.

2. Test/Re-Test Method:

Participants are given a test before they begin the programme. After the instruction is complete, they re-take the test. If the programme has been effective, test scores should improve.

3. Pre-Post Performance Methods:

In this method, each participant is evaluated prior to training and rated on actual job performance. After instruction is completed, the participant is re-evaluated. This method deals directly with job behaviour.

4. Experimental-Control Method:

The most sophisticated evaluative approach is the experimental-control method. This approach attempts to correct for factors other than the instruction programme that influence job performance.

There are few more approaches for evaluation or concluding the programme:

1. Program Content:

It includes:

(a) Ask the participants to recall the information and the ideas that have been covered.

(b) To encourage the participants to reminiscence about what they have been through together.

(c) Participants rehearse one more time the skills they have learned.

(d) To call upon participants to reconsider their opinions about the training topic.

2. Obtaining Final Questions and Concerns:

When a programme is about to conclude, participants are often reluctant to raise final questions or concerns because they do not want to appear to be delaying the programmes’ end.

3. Promoting Self-Assessment:

If your programme has been meaningful to participants, they have undergone some degree of affective behavioural and cognitive change. A fitting way to end a programme is to engage participants in activities that allow them to evaluate their progress.

4. Focusing on Back-on-the-Job or Back-Home Application:

There are many ways to help facilitate these final sentiments:

(a) Assemble participants for a group photograph

(b) Develop an artistic product

(c) Create a closing circle

(d) End with a touch of humour

Employee Training – Evaluation of Training Programme

Hamblin defines evaluation of training as,” any attempt to obtain information (feedback) on the effects of a training program and to assess the value of the training in the light of that information.” Evaluation of the training process is a difficult task, and different circumstances require different method for evaluation according to the objectives aimed at.

McGhee and Thayer gave several reasons for the necessity of evaluating a training program:

i. It enables the effectiveness of an investment in training to be appraised.

ii. Reassures management about the effectiveness of a particular method of instruction, the relations between training costs and improved productivity, and the general efficiency and effectiveness of a course

iii. Lead to “considerable future savings in time and costs” Evaluation helps management to answer the following questions:

iv. What changes if any should be made in existing programs to realign them to the organization’s needs?

v. Is the choice of areas of training correct in the context of its contribution to the organization’s effectiveness?

vi. Should the money continue to be spent training programs?

vii. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the training program?

The outcomes of the evaluation can be used as a base for the improvement of programs. An evaluation of a training method must also take into account the suitability of objectives.

Evaluation has its problems. Tracey describes some of the pitfalls of evaluation as poor planning, lack of objectivity, evaluation errors (error of central tendency, i.e., reluctance to assign very high or very low ratings, error of standards, error of logic and the halo effect), improper interpretation of data, and inappropriate use of results.

Principles of Evaluation:

Evaluation of the training program must be based on the following principles:

1. There must be clarity about the goals and purposes of evaluation.

2. There must be continuity in the evaluation.

3. Evaluation must be specific.

4. Evaluation must provide the means and focus for trainers to be able to appraise themselves, their practices, and their products.

5. Evaluation must be based on objective methods and standards.

6. Realistic target dates must be set for each phase of the evaluation process. A sense of urgency must be developed, but deadlines that are unreasonably high will result in poor evaluation.